Corona Devotionals

Aaaahhhhh, can you feel it? It’s almost hard to recognize, because it can become so unfamiliar to us, but we know it when we experience it, and aaahhh, it’s wonderful. What is the “aaaahhh” that our soul aches for?    Peace . Yes, we desire peace ...and God desires to give it to us: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  ~ John 16:33  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  ~John  14:27 Yes, we want peace, and yet…We hurry.   We bustle.   We plan, and we do, and we plan some more, and we do some more.   Until we are taxed and we are anything but peaceful. We want peace, but the pattern of our lives proves (over and over daily) that we (literally) avoid peace.   But…today could be different.   Today could...

Our (faith-filled) nature can at times make us feel bad  about being treated badly.   We sometimes don't want to ask too much from God, even if that means asking for kind (fair!) treatment of ourselves from others. A friend loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17)  but what about when our enemies, or those that are against God...are against us? What can our prayer be when we are up against violence ?   What is appropriate for us to say to God when people  plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long ? Do we just grin-and-bear-it when  their tongues sting like a snake and   the venom of a viper drips from their lips ?   We are called to be kind, and God's Law is to love, but should patience have an expiration date when  the proud have set a trap to catch me ?  And when the wicked  have stretched out a net , and when   they have placed traps all along the way ? Really...what level of honesty is acceptable to ...

At our Bible study the other night, we began the small-group (questions) time by introducing ourselves and then sharing "Something good that happened to us this week". We heard about double dates, and shopping sprees, as well as watching-World-Cup-soccer-games, and I appreciated the idea (and awareness) of anticipated-joy as a few people shared about things that they were looking forward-to that are  going to happen (to them)   in the next few days, including a trip to Cedar Point Amusement Park. What would we  say if someone asked us to share about  "Something good that happened to us this week"? What comes to mind? What comes to heart ? Could we share about something good?   This might not be a physical-evidence question as much as a heart-question.  If our heart  is not healthy, then our gratitude meter (which allows us to measure good things), will be askew.   If we are not thankful  for anything....then it may be that we have t...

Everyone knows what sticks and stones will do ( break my bones ), and we know the rest of that rhyme too: " but words will never hurt me ". Is that true, though? Ask the child with the critical parent. Ask the bullied boy or girl. Ask those following Jesus in a world that knows Him not. Ask me. Ask yourself. Whose words are defining us today? If we are not careful, other people and their words will gain an unhealthy and incorrect influence over us. God's Word , and His Truth define us and who we are, and God has a lot to say...an entire Bible, actually. All written for you and me to better understand His love for us and His truth about us. God also gives us true accounts within the Bible of people who did it right when it came to believing what God said about them, instead of believing the bullies. David knew God, and David knew what God said about him...and David believed it, and David stood upon God's Word about him. ~~~ How did Goliath treat David? And whe...